Jesus' Natural & Spiritual Ministry
So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Luke 7:22 (New International Version, NIV)
Whatever Jesus does naturally, He also does spiritually. This verse speaks of several natural aspects of Jesus’ ministry:
The blind receive sight.
The lame walk.
Those who have leprosy are cleansed.
The deaf hear.
The dead are raised.
The good news is proclaimed to the poor.
Let’s look at the spiritual application of each of these.
The Blind Receive Sight
Those who are spiritually blind cannot see that they need Jesus. Therefore, we must pray that the blinders are removed. The Word brings light, so the preached Word of God will show them they need Jesus.
As Christians, Jesus will open our hearts, our spiritual eyes, to know God- Who He is, what He does, and so forth. In addition, we can “see” things by the Holy Spirit: visions, dreams, revelation, etc.
The Lame Walk
Sinners are spiritually lame- they don’t walk right. Sin, life’s issues. and the devil have crippled them. They need Jesus to heal them spiritually so they can walk right, walking with God.
Christians can be crippled by past events and hurts. We may need the healing touch of the Lord so we walk straight, not knocked off course, having a good walk with Him.
Those Who Have Leprosy Are Cleansed
Leprosy is symbolic of sin. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse it. The sinner is cleansed of sin for salvation. The saint is cleansed of sin for restored relationship with Jesus.
The Deaf Hear
The unsaved are deaf to the Lord and can’t hear God- whether it’s due to a hard heart, sin, demonic interference, hurts, etc. At salvation, the ears are unstopped so the instruction of the Lord can be received.
As born-again people, we may get caught up in the affairs of life or in sin, and this can cause it to be difficult for us to hear God speak. When we repent and focus on Him, our hearing is restored.
The Dead Are Raised
Jesus raises sinners from death to life. Unsaved people are dead to God and to the things of God. When they receive Jesus, they are raised from death to life.
For saints, God can take things in our lives that seem to be dead and raise them to life again. Dead hopes, dreams, etc. can miraculously be brought back to life.
The Good News Is Proclaimed To The Poor
The Gospel is the good news. When heard and received, it gives new life to the sinner. It helps them walk right, free from sin and its hindrances.
The good news of God’s Word can revive us all, including the Christian, and bring us to life so we can keep going, prospering us in all we do.
In Conclusion
Everything Jesus did in His physical earthly ministry is still being done today to and through His children. In addition, He is still ministering to us spiritually just as He does naturally.
